Suncafe Single Pod Brewer: This is great for the home where only one or two in the family drink coffee in the morning. It’s easy to let the “habit” escalate when there’s a full pot to drink. This brewer will give you fresh individual cups, letting everyone choose their own flavour. The pods look like round tea bags, so there is very little waste. It won’t do espresso or cappuccino (doesn’t have the pressure in the pump) but it’s priced accordingly at $114. With coffee pods and warranty coverage coming from the Calgary headquaters, it’s as convenient for service and refills as it is to use.

Cuisinart Coffee Makers: The more common drip brewers are still a favorite for the heavy coffee drinker or a family of caffeine addicts. We like Cuisinart because of the fabulous 3 year warranty (handled here in store – no shipping for you!) and the quality of the machines. They have a small water filter to remove any impurities, an optional thermal carafe to hold your coffee fresher longer, and the deluxe model includes a built in burr grinder for the perfect pot.

Percolators: We have an electric cordless model from Cuisinart and a couple of different stove top options. A cleaner version of the original “cowboy coffee”, percolators give you a deliciously strong brew. Just watch out for the odd grind that gets through the filter.

French Press: Another older style of coffee, these inexpensive tools can also be used for loose leaf tea. Keep in mind they require a coarser grind; smaller grinds will get through the screen. However, the press is a simple, quick way to brew your black nectar (my nickname for coffee sometimes) anywhere. A popular option for camping or work, since all you need is access to hot water. Bodum is a great brand since they offer most of their parts as replacements; if you break the glass or your screen wears out you don’t need to buy a whole new unit. (And yes, we carry a wide selection of parts!) The deluxe option here is the double walled, vaccuum stainless steel model. No risk of breakage and it holds the heat of the coffee inside where it belongs!

Now, I’ve limited this to regular coffee in the interest of brevity; we have severage espresso options I’ll chat about next time! Feel free to comment with your thoughts on the different methods of coffee making at home or at camp.

Our May classes have successfully begun, but some missed out due to holidays or other plans. We’ve booked another set of Basics classes to start June 6th on Wednesday evenings for those with busy weekend plans!

Take a look at the calender of events here on the site, or on our Facebook page for more details. Call or pop into the store to register.

We also have a variety of patio dishes and serving ware, picnic sets, and lots of other fun toys for the summer!

We have also received some more new stock! Our Wilton section is full of new tools and accessories to make beautiful cakes even more special. Due to popular demand, we’ve also brought in the Wonder Mold to make princess (or other ladies??) cakes. We also received more appliances from Cuisinart and a great line of BBQ tools from Foxrun in plenty of time for Father’s Day. Watch for a post soon about some great Father’s Day Gift Ideas!

For those who have taken our Decorating Basics Classes, we’ll be running a Flowers and Cake Design course starting April 28th. For those who have taken the Fondant and Gum Paste class, we’ve added a new course that brings your skills to a whole new level, the Advanced Gum Paste Course, running on the same days. Come into the store to register!